Sign



Patented-Mar. 4,1924.

UNITED STATES;

lPATE- PAUL scnuynnn VAN storm, or nnmrsrnan, NEW Yonir, AssIaNon moTBIE VIKING .rnonuors CORPORATION, or NEW roan, N. Y., nconrona'rroN onNEW YORK.

SIGN.

Application filed November 24, 1922. Serial No. 608,013.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pam. Sonurrnn VAN BLonM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

One of the main objects of this invention is the provision of a sign orsignal plate of translucent glass, or other material which will permitthe passage of light rays, having sign or signal characters formed bydepressions in the rear or light receiving face of the plate and byconvexities upon the front face of the plate. The convexities overliethe depressions and both conform in outline to the sign of signalcharacter. The walls of the depressions are so shaped and disposed as tocause most of the light rays entering the depressions to be concentratedand directed outwardly through the convexities and also to produce ashaded effect which will give the characters a decided outstandingappearance upon the .front face of the plate. The convexities distributethe illumination properly over the front portions of the characters andalso increase the range of visibility of the characters by thereflection of light from the outside.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a signal showing the plate adapted foruse therein;

Fi 2, a vertical section taken through the signal on the line 22.of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 a greatly enlarged detail section l akenthrough the plate on theline 33 of Figf a fragmentary view of the rear face of the signal plate;and v Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a coat of coloring oropaque matter applied to the bottom of the depression.

Referrin to the parts by numerals, 1 designates t e improved sign orsignal plate. The plate 1 is made of transparent or translucent glassorother suitable material which -will permit the passage of light raysand has substantially flat, parallel, front and reverse faces 2 and 3respectively. A series of deep character impressions 42 are formed inthe reverse face of the plate and a series of convexities 5 are formedupon the front face 2 of the plate. The convexities 5 overlie thedepressions 4 and both the convexities and the depressions conform inoutline to the characters to be displayed. In

the present instance the plate 1 is adapted for use as anelevator signaland the characters are the letters of the word Down. The plate is largerthan the over-all dimensions of the characters in order to secure ageneral illumination of that part of the plate surrounding thecharacters. The plate is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as mounted in a casing6, the said casing preferably having a rear reflect' wall 7. A lamp 8 issuitably located an mounted within the casing a. letter.- Each of thesaid depressions is formed with side walls 9 which in cross section arestraight, as shown in Fig. 3, and are substantially perpendicular to theplate face 3. The bottom 10 of the depression curves inwardly at thesides as shown at 11 and merges with the side walls. The side walls 9are of material depth particularly with relation to the width of theletter stroke, and this depth of the side walls and their substantialperpendicularity to the face 3 'of the plate together with theconvexities 5 are 1m ortant factors in producing the effect 018adecidedly outstanding character upon the front face of the late.

The effect of the light rays whic are directed from the rearinto thedepressions 4, as illustrated in Fig. 4, is as follows, as-' side of aare slightly refracted but emerge from the convexity 5 substantiallyparallel to the rays a, the rays a and b are thus distributed fairlyevenly over the surface of the convexity and are directed toward the eyeof the observer. The rays 0 and d which fall upon the curves 11 of thedepression diverge away from the eye of the observer with the resultthat the sides of the character will appear shaded. Owing to thesubstantial perpendicularity of the walls 9 to the rear face of theplate most of the rays e incident thereon will be beyond the criticalangle or the angle at. which they would penetrate the plate and willtherefore be reflected to, and be concentrated at, the bottom of thewill be transmitte through the convexity. The side walls of thedepressions diverge slightly and this divergence tends to in-v creasethe shaded eflect at the edge of the character when viewed from thefront, and also facilitates the withdrawal of the mold used in formingthe depressions.

When the signal is viewed obliquely as from the direction indicated bythe right hand arrow in Fig. 3, the'rays such as b and 0 which are castupon the curve 11 ofthe depression are directed toward the observerwhile the rays a and b which fall upon the bottom 10 and pass throughthe convexity 5 are directed away from the observer as are also the rayse which fall upon the side walls 9. The result will be that thecharacter will appear as an outstanding perspective with a high light atthe "corner due to the rays coming through the curve 11 and with theconvexity 5 and the nearer side wall 9' of the depression shading oilfrom either side of the high light. 7

In Fig. 5 the bottom 10 of the depression 4 is shown as provided witheither a colored or an opaque coating 12 to produce a desired.

ornamental eflect. The coating 12 may be applied to only the center ofthe bottom leaving the curves 11 uncovered so as not to diminish theireffect.

It will be seen that a simple, easily manufactured sign or signal andone that is also beautiful and effective, is provided. A si nal of thischaracter which permits the lig t to pass through the entire area of theplate is particularly effective as it makes a more striking effect andwill attract more atten' tion than if merely the characters wereilluminated. The convexities 5 serve to make the characters moredistinct and legible particularly when viewed obliquely as the saidconvexities reflect toward the observer light which theyreceive from thesurroundings.

A sign of this character is effective even when used independently,without the special illumination shown in Fig. 2. When unprovided withspecial illumination the sign will share in the general illumination,either daylight or artificial, of its surround- (plate from whence theyings, the depressions 4 and the eonvexities 5 rendering the charactersdistinct from the rest of the plate. I

What I claim is:

1.. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of lightrays, formed in its rear face with a depression and formed on its frontface with a convexityoverlying the depression, the convexity and thedepression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, the saiddepression having a bottom designed to transmit light rays through theconvexity and a pair of reflecting side "walls of material depth andsubstantially perpendicular to the rear face of the si plate.

2. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of light rays,formed in its rear face with a depression of material depth and formedon its front face with a convexity overlying the depression theconvexity and the depression being alike in outline and forming a signcharacter, and the said depression being formed in cross section with abottom and a pair of straight side walls the said bottom and side wallsbeing so disposed as to concentrate light rays falling within thedepression. and direct them through the convexity.

3. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage'of light rays,formed in its rear face with a depression and formed upon its front facewith a convexity overlying the depression, the convexity and thedepression being alike in outline and forming a sign character, and thesaid depression having a bottom, side walls so disposed as to reflectlight rays upon the bottom and surfaces at the juncture of the sidewalls and the bottom so disposed as to cause light rays cast thereon tobe refracted away from the center.

4. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage ofi lightrays, formed in its rear face with a depression of material depth andformed upon its front face with a raised portion overlying thedepression, the raised portion and the depression being alike in outlineand forming a sign character, the plate being larger than the overalldimensions of the sign character and admitting light through its areasurrounding the sign character and the depression having reflecting sidewalls of material depth and substantially perpendicular to the rear faceof the sign plate to direct light rays through the raised portion.

5. A sign plate of material adapted to permit the passage of light rays,formed in its rear face with a depression and upon its front face with araised portion overlying the depression, the raised portion. and thedepression being alike in outline and forming a sign character and thedep ion be ing of maLerial depth with relati to its width and adapted toconcentrate light ra forming a sign character, and a coating of 10falling therein and direct them through-t e coloring matter applied tothe bottom of raised portion. the depression, the said j depressionbeing 6. A sign plate of material adapted to adapted to concentratelight rays 1 6 permit the passage of ht rays, formed in therein anddirect them through the rais 7 its reverse face with a epresiion andupon portion. 15 its ,fi-ont face with a raised portion overly- Intestimony whereof I- hereunto aflix my ing the depression, the raisedportion and signature. the depression being alike in outline and PAUL3:5: ER VAN BLUE.

